Geraint Thomas has gone from yellow fever to hayfever after he suffered his third crash in this year’s race and landed in a haystack.

Lucky Thomas, who held the race leader’s iconic jersey after the first stage, overcooked a tight bend on a rapid descent in the steamy Jura here and went over the handlebars after hitting the barriers.

But Team Sky’s indestructible Welsh wingman managed to climb back in the saddle after his third accident in eight days because he landed in some bales of hay.

And as leader Chris Froome preserved his lead in the Yellow Jersey ahead of Sunday's “monster” stage featuring four brutal climbs, Thomas was happy to emerge in one piece from his latest spillage.

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Thomas, the early race leader after his stunning triumph in last weekend’s time trial prologue in Dusseldorf, was involved in two pile-ups in the Yellow Jersey.

He also hit a telegraph pole on stage 16 two years ago, crashed out of the Olympic road race in Rio last summer and had to abandon the Giro two months ago after colliding with a badly-parked police motorbike.

But Thomas is from the Dai hard school of knocks, and after his roll in the hay he admitted this latest prang was his fault, saying: “I had just gone back for bottles and got back to the front when I went into a corner a bit too hot.

“I was looking to my side and the boys were breaking, then there was a split-second delay and we hit the gravel.

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“It was a choice between going into the trees or the hay bales, so I chose the hay. I front-flipped, but it was a be ter option than the woods.

“There wasn’t time for a leak all day – we were on the pedals, racing all the time, but we rode well as a team.”

Va Va Froome also went off-road with Thomas in the same incident but managed to stay in the saddle.

He said: “It’s another reminder of how quickly things can change – one minute you are in control of the race and the next you are in the ditch with your team-mate over the barriers lying next to you.

“It’s pretty scary: You think about all the things that could happen or go wrong in a race but you can’t foresee a corner that twists back on itself a bit more than you expected and that could be the moment that ends your race.”

Froome expects the general classification to be “blown wide open” on today’s (**Sun**) long haul from Nantua to Chambery, adding: “It’s going to be a monster stage, especially as there will be some tired legs after the fast pace we had to ride today.

“I expect the last climb, up the Mont du Chat, to be the decisive climb of the Tour and there will be some big gaps opening up between the GC contenders.”

Despite a late attack of cramp with three miles to go, French rider Lilian Calmejane – remember the name, don’t call him Shirley - held on to win the gruelling eighth stage.

Belgian Robert Gesink’s brave attempt to close him down fell short by 37secs, while Froome, second-placed Thomas and their main rivals for the general classification rolled home together.